Cabinet has today recommended that Council agrees the Oxfordshire Housing & Growth Deal, based on a commitment from Government and partner councils to address a number of red-lines aimed at protecting the district from uncontrolled development.
By agreeing the Deal, the Vale is securing £150m of infrastructure funding for Oxfordshire, with the hope of additional cash in the future, and £60m for Affordable Housing. The Vale has already been successful in a bid for an additional £8m to deliver the Wantage Eastern Link Road, £9m for the Lodge Hill junction and is hopeful for a further application of nearly £200m to benefit both the Vale and South Oxfordshire.
In addition the Council has negotiated a number of benefits to protect the Vale's existing local plan, including reducing the current 5 year housing land supply requirement to just 3 years.
The deal would see Council's establishing a Joint Statutory Spacial Plan (JSSP) for Oxfordshire to improve joined-up planning across the county. Importantly the Vale has made it clear that this plan must not allocate housing sites and will put no additional pressure on the Vale in the period to 2031. The Vale will consider the most appropriate way to consult with our residents on the scope of the JSSP in due course.
Commenting after the meeting, Cllr Matthew Barber said, "This is a big step forward. I have been extremely cautious about this deal, but I am confident that if the red-lines we have set down can be met then the Vale, and indeed the whole of Oxfordshire, can benefit from much needed infrastructure spending without the fear of returning to a period of uncontrolled development. This is not the end of the story, we need significantly more investment than is currently being offered, but my Council is seeking to mitigate the risks whilst hoping to maximise the benefits."
